Solid carbon dioxide blocks have been produced for many years. Typically, these blocks are made by passing liquid carbon dioxide through a nozzle wherein the spray is allowed to expand in a sealed, cooled chamber. The adiabatic expansion of the liquid carbon dioxide freezes it into a solid in the form of carbon dioxide snow. This process is commonly referred to in the art as flashing. The carbon dioxide snow is then collected and compressed into blocks.
Many users of carbon dioxide blocks position the blocks within a specifically formed sleeve or compartment, for example within a sleeve of a beverage dispensing cart adapted to contain and cool beverages. As such, these users require that each block be formed within a very narrow range of block sizes so that they provide the largest volume of carbon dioxide while still properly fitting within the confines of the compartment.
In the past, in order to produce a carbon dioxide block of a select dimension producers have commenced with the formation of large carbon dioxide blocks. These large blocks were then cut with the use of a saw to produce smaller blocks having the desired block dimensions. This method of producing blocks of a selected measurement however has several associated problems. Firstly, band saws are typically used to cut the larger block into smaller blocks. These band saws however tend to bow or flex during usage. As such, the finished, smaller block may include a surface having waves and thus produce a block which may vary in width. Therefore, these smaller blocks may not be formed within the size tolerances required to fit within the container. Secondly, there are inherent difficulties in physically handling large, carbon dioxide blocks. These difficulties may cause the block to be mishandled during the cutting process, resulting in some blocks being cut too thin or too thick for its intended use. Thirdly, the use of saws, especially when associated with the cutting of difficult to handle carbon dioxide blocks, pose a danger to the operator.
To overcome the problems associated with the cutting of blocks to size, devices have been designed to produce small blocks of a select size. These devices typically have a container associated with the chamber producing the carbon dioxide snow so that the snow is collected within the container. A hydraulic press then compresses the snow within the container to produce a solid block. The volume of snow within the container prior to compression however is difficult to control and therefore the size of the finished block may fluctuate in accordance with the volume of snow within the container resulting in blocks of different sizes. Another problem associated with these devices is that the container is relocated during the pressing process. As such, the collection of carbon dioxide snow is temporarily halted during the pressing process, which greatly decreases the efficiency of the device.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for an apparatus for producing solid carbon dioxide blocks of a predetermined select size in a safe and efficient manner. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.